Wrapping machine



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' INVENTORS [awa/Po E Canuck, fk/w/n /fv B. Paas/97s, A/vo /Vo/PM/w W. l. ya# y wwf/@ATTORNEYS United States Patent() WRAPPING MACHINE Edward F. Cornock and Franklin B. Roberts, Springfield and Norman W. Lyon, Wilbraham, Mass., assignors to Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass., .a corporation of Massachusetts y Application June 28, 1954, Serial No. 439,682

17 Claims. (Cl. 53-228) This invention relates to wrapping machines for wrap ping generally rectangular articles. f

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus for encircling the packages with a wrapper as the packages are carried in a continuous straight line movement through the machine.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide means to fold or insert the rear transverse edge portion of the wrapper beneath the forward transverse edge of the wrapper on a face of the article which lies in the plane of its travel as the article is being constantly advanced by a continuously operating conveyor.

Other and further objects will be made apparent in the disclosure of the accompanying drawings and in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a wrapping machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the manner of driving the various instrnmentalities;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View, on a larger scale, showing the mechanism for folding the forward and rear portions of the wrapper in overlapping relation on the bottom of the article;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3, the conveyor being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 to 1l inclusive are diagrammatic views showing the sequence of operations in forming the underfold;

Fig. l2 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing an alternative underfolding arrangement;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 12, parts broken away;

lFig. 14 is a sectional view substantially on line 14-14 of Fig.l3;

Figs. 15 to 20 inclusive are diagrammatic views showing the sequence of operations in forming the underfold by the mechanism of Figs. 12, 13 and 14;

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and l2 but showing another alternative underfold mechanism and taken generally on line 21-21 -of Fig. 22;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view substantially on line 22-22 of Fig. 21 but showing the lapping mechanism in the relative position of Fig. 27; and

Figs. 23 to 28 inclusive are diagrammatic views showing the sequence of operations performed bythe mechanism of Figs. 2l and 22.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine includes an article infeed conveyor mechanism generally indicated at A, a wrapper feed generally indicated at B, an underfold wrapping mechanism generally indicated at C, and end folding mechanism generally indicated at D.

Referring to F-ig. 1 the articles a are fed into the machine over a supporting plate or table 1 by a series of U-shaped pushers 2 carried by continuously operating chains 3. A web of wrapping paper W is drawn downwardly from a supply roll 4 by feed rolls 5. The web is ice advanced by the feed rolls 5 between a stationary knife 6 and a rotating knife 7 carried by a shaft 8, knives 6 and 7 cooperating to sever a wrapper sheet from the end of,

the web W. As a wrapper w is severed from the web W the wrapper is advanced, as by belts 9 and rolls 16, transversely of the path of the incoming articles and the advancing article picks up the wrapper, and the article and wrapper are carried forward on-to a plate 11 and beneath a stationary folding member 12 to fold the wrapper around the leading face of the article with portions folded against the adjacent faces of the article, one end portion of the wrapper engaging one of said adjacent faces and the other end portion of the wrapper trailing the article as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. l. It will be understood that any suitable wrapper web feeding and wrapper cutting and advancing means may be used.

As the article and wrapper approach the forward end of plate 11 the trailing end portion of the wrapper is engaged, forwardly of the trailing edge, by one of a plurality of pushers 15 carried by overhead chains 16, and, as best shown at the extreme left in Fig. 8, folds the intermediate portion of the trailing portion of the wrap-V -per against the rear face of the article, the ex-treme end portion b of the wrapper extending rearwardly as shown in Fig. 8 as th: article is advanced by the pusher 15 from plate 11 onto a table section 17.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the table 17 is provided Wi-th a series of slots 18 in which article supporting members 19 carried by a transverse bar or carriage 20 reciprocate, the ends of the transverse bar 20 being'provided with guides 21 slidably mounted in ways 22 for reciprocable motion. Forwardly of table 17 and spaced therefrom is a second stationary table section 23 provided with slots 24fin which supporting members 2S, extending from a plate 26, reciprocate. Plate 26 is carried by a second cross bar or carriage 27, the ends of which are provided with guide members 28 slidably mounted in the ways 22.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 cross bar 20 is reciprocated in ways Z2 by links 30 pivoted at their forward ends to cross bar 20 and at their rear ends to the upper end of arms 31 fixed to a sleeve 32 rotatable on a stationary cross shaft 33. Sleeve 32 carries spaced arms 34 between which is pivoted, at 35, a crank 36 mounted on an eccentric 37 fixed to drive shaft 38. Cross bar 20 carries a forwardly extending supporting member 40 beneath which is pivoted an adhesive applying blade 41 fixed to a rock shaft 42 journaled in bracket 43. The rock shaft 42 carries arms 44 connected by links 45 to rocker plates 46 mounted on the pivot pins 47 which connect the links 30 to the arms 31. The rocker plates 46 are connected by links 4S to rocker plates 5l) pivotally mounted on the stationary shaft 33. The rocker plates 50 are connected by links 51 to arms 52 fixed to a rocker shaft 53 to which is fixed an arm 54 provided with a cam roll 55 engaging -a cam 56 fixed to shaft 38.

Adhesive applying blade 41 is biasedtoward the horizontal position shown in Fig. 3, and roll 55 held against cam 56 by torsion springs 57 (Fig. 4) surrounding rock shaft 42 having one end xed as at 53 and the other end engaging the underside of the blade 41 as indicated at 59.

As bar 20 is reciprocated by eccentric crankx36,a blade 41 is periodically rocked by cam 56 into'engagement with a glue Isupply roll 60 as later more fully described. i 1

'I'he second carriage or cross bar 27 (Figs. 3 and'4) is reciprocated'in timed rel-ation with bar 20 by means of links v62 connected at one end to the bar and at the other end t-o arms 63 fixed to a sleeve 64 rotatable-Ona fixed shaft 65. Sleeve 64 carries arms 66 and `67` provided with respectivecam rolls-68 yand 69,whicl1 .engage J dual cams and 71 respectively xed on drive shaft 38 and` by which reciprocating motion is imparted to bar 27 and the parts carried thereby.

A, suction member is hinged at 76 to the plate 2 6. Member 75 is oscillatecl, for purposes later described, by links 77 connecting brackets 78, fixed to member 75, to rocker plates 79 mounted on the` pivot pins 80 which connect links 62 to arms 63, rocker plates 79 being connected to arms 81 fixed to the sleeve 64 by links 83. One of the arms 81 is connected by a link 84 to an arm 85 fixed to a rock shaft 86 which carries arms 37 and 88 provided with respective cam rolls 89 and 90. The cam rolls 89 and 90 engage dual cams 91 and 92 by which oscillatory movement is imparted to suction member 75.

Suction member 75 is formed with spaced `rows of openings and 96 which as best `shown in Fig. 8 are in communication with a chamber 97 to which suction is supplied through a tube 98 by way of a control valve 99 in line 100 which connects with any suitable vacuum source, not shown. Valve 99 is actuated to turn the vacuum supply to member 75 on and off, in a timed sequence `and for a purpose later described, by a cam 101 `fixed to shaft 38. A bracket 102 suspended from the valve casing carries a pivoted arm 103 which engages I' the valve stem 104 of the valve and carries a cam roll 105 which is held against the cam by a spring, not shown, located in the valve and biasing the valve stem to valve closing position.

As the articles are carried over the supporting surfaces 17, 19, 26, 25 and 23 they pass beneath suitable adjustable hold down and guide plates 106, Figs. 3 and 5, carried by rods 107 mounted for horizontal adjustment at 108 in brackets 109 which brackets are mounted for vertical adjustment at 110 `to the machine frame.

The operation of the machine will now he described with reference to Figs. 6 to ll inclusive. The articles are constantly advanced by the pushers 15 over the several supporting surfaces while the instrumentalities carried by the cross bars 20-27 are reciprocated beneath them.

Referring to Fig. 6, as an article a and its wrapper are being advanced by the pusher 15 to position X the bars 20--27 are moving rearwardly, the suction member 75 is completing its upward swing into the plane of the article supporting surfaces and glue blade 41 is starting its downward swing.

In Fig. 7 the bars are continuing their rearward movement, suction member 75 is in the supporting plane with the article passing thereover and trailing portion b of the wrapper is about to leave the ysupport 40.

In Fig. 8 the bars 20-27 have reached their rearmost point of travel and are advancing with, but at a slightly less speed than pushers 15 and the article. Glue blade 41 is about to contact supply roll 60-tra1'ling wrapper portion b is over the openings 95, the trailing edge portion c of the underfold of the wrapper is over openings 96 and valve 99 has been opened to Vsupply vacuum to the member 75 and hold portions b and c to the member 75.

In Fig. 9 the blade 41 is receiving glue from the roll 60 `and member 75 has commenced to swing downwardly with the wrapper portions b and c, to clear the latter portion from the adjacent face of the article.

In Fig. 10 the member 75 is approaching the completion of its downward swing-the glue blade is approaching the completion of its upward swing.' Wrapper portion c is still held by the suction member but portion b has been drawn from the suction member and is about to be engaged by the overtaking member 40.

InrFig. i l1 the overtravel of Vbars 20-27 relative to the travel of pushers 15 has brought blade 41 into contact with wrapper portion cto apply adhesive thereto and has caused supporting member 40 which is now traveling at a speed in excess of that of the article to fold wrapper portion b against the underside of the package. Blade 41 and member 75 dwell in the positions shown in Fig. ll as the bars 20-27 move with decelerating speed to their extreme position of forward movement, indicated in dotted lines, the continued movement of the article by pusher 15 carrying the article onto surfaces 26-25 and laying the wrapper portion c in adhering lapping relation against portion b, as indicated at article position Xl in Fig. 6.

The article is thus encircled by the wrapper with the edge portion b and c brought into the described lapping relation while the article is being constantly advanced in a straight line path; On the succeeding rearward and forward movement of the bars 20-27 the described sequence of operations are repeated on the article being advanced by the succeeding pusher 15.

Upon completion of the lapping of the leading end of the wrapper over the trailing end of the Wrapper the pushers 15 may carry the package over heat Sealers 72, Fig. l, carried by a converyor 73 which moves with the article. The pushers 15 deliver the wrapper encircled article to a second pusher conveyor 74 which carries the articles past suitable end folders such as a rotary folder 93 and stationary folders 94, which fold the sidcwise extending portions of the wrapper over the adjacent sides of the atricle in any desired manner, and between suitable heat sealing plates 111 which seal the end folds to complete the Wrapping operation, the wrapped articles being delivered by conveyor 74 to a delivery belt 112.

The various instrumentalities described are driven from a motor 113, Fig. 2, by pulleys 114 and belt 115, through a gear reduction box 116. From shaft 117 of box 116 a chain 118 drives infeed conveyor 3. A second chain 119y passing around an idler 120 drives a sprocket 121 from which the wrapper web feed rolls and cutter are driven by a chain 122. A chain 123 drives heater conveyor 73 and sprockets 124 and 125 from which respective chains 126 and 127 drive pusher conveyors 15 and 74, respectively. Glue supply roll 60 is driven by a chain 128 from shaft 117 and folder 93 is driven by a chain 129 from conveyor 108.

In Figs. l2 to 20 inclusive is shown an alternative arrangement in which the instrumentalities for lapping the leading edge of the wrapper over the trailing edge of the wrapper are carried by a constantly traveling conveyor instead of a reciprocating support as in the form previously described.

Referring to Figs. l2 and 13, the lapping instrumentalities are carried by a conveyor generally indicated at 130. Conveyor 130 comprises spaced chains 131 and 132 trained around pairs of sprockets 133 and 134 xed to respective shafts 135 and 136. The chains 131 and 132 are connected by spaced groups of articulated article supporting slats 137` secured at their ends to opposed links of the chains. The conveyor 130 operates between spaced table surfaces 140 and 141. The articles are associated with a wrapper as previously described with an intermediate portion of the wrapper against the leading face of the article and the leading end portion of the wrapper laid against the under face of the article, the trailing portion being laid over the top face with the portion adjacent the trailing edge folded against the rear face of the article by the pushers 142 of the constantly driven conveyor 143 which carry the articles through lapping portions of the machine.

Conveyors 143 and 130 are driven at the same speed and, as is apparent from Fig. l2 as a pusher 142 advances an article from table 140 the article advances onto one of the groups of supporting slats 137, the trailing edge portion b of the wrapper swinging downwardly under the action of gravity at the rear of the article. Hinged at 144 to the rearmost slat of each group is a suction member 145 which underlies the leading edge portion c of the wrapper. The surface of member 145 is formed with spaced lands 146 between which are formed a series of 

